Fireflies
by Wavebreeze
Summary: Zelda's mother has recently died and it is up to Link to make it better. Who knew such tiny bugs could be the trick? AU Modern Day Zelink Oneshot. Inspired by the song "Fireflies" by Owl City.


_Author's Note:_

_This one shot was inspired by the song "Fireflies" by Owl City. There is very little reference to the song because it is about insomnia so I'm not considering this a songfic. I started this a really long time ago actually, like July, and finally got around to finishing it. It's a different kind of style. I made it past tense and had Link talk to you throughout the story._

_I hope you like it!_

_Fireflies_

_Have you ever known somebody where you always think about them, even though you rarely see this person? Or no other girl catches your eye but her? And you tell yourself that you're being silly because you can't build a relationship if you only see this person once a year for a week and it is just some stupid crush. Then another part of you is craving her, begging for her attention._

That's how I am with Zelda. I only see her for a week each year ever since I was five when her grandparents moved in to the house next to me. Her parents and her visit them every Christmas: the time I get to finally hang out with her.

So you can imagine how surprised yet excited I am when I learned that Zelda would be spending the summer with her grandparents. We're both eighteen now, ready to go to college soon, and it has been thirteen years since we've met but I have never gotten over her.

I know...I'm messed up.

At first I thought that it couldn't be true. I mean, who would want to spend their summer with their grandparents rather than all of the friends. Especially when it is the last time she will have with her friends before leaving for college. It simply seemed a little odd to me, that's all.

And then my grandmother (yes, I live with her and I smell like old lady most of the time) explained to me that Zelda's mother died. She was having a hard time moving on and her grades were slipping. She was eating less and she didn't hang out with her friends as much as she used to. Her father thought it would be a good idea for a change of scenery, thus, her summer stay.

It was a typical, hot June morning when I was told that Zelda had arrived. My grandmother wanted me to help bring in her bags and deliver some homemade cookies to her and her grandparents. Being a male teenager, waking up at ten in the morning was torture and required _a lot_ of nagging by a certain woman. It wasn't until my mind was finally awake that it registered Zelda's arrival. Zelda was _here!_

My grandmother was startled when I sprang up from my bed, weariness abandoned, and threw on some shorts and a T-shirt. I was so excited to see the girl I've been missing for so long that I almost forgot about the steaming plate of cookies, but, thankfully, my grandmother reminded me just in time.

It was humid and scorching as I walked from my front door to the one next to us and I was already beginning to sweat. Sure enough, a shiny red truck was in the driveway and Zelda's grandparents were talking animatedly to her beside it. However, even from where I was, it didn't seem that she shared their enthusiasm.

As I approached them I felt a smile forming across my face while memories of Zelda and I's short but shared time flooded back to me. I'd like to say that we had our special, romantic moments. Like when we were fourteen and I held her hand after watching a sad movie. Or when, the next year, we went up skiing together on a mountain only an hour or so away. When we were sixteen I had taken her to the movies but we went as "just friends". As little kids we pulled pranks on the adults at Zelda's grandparents' annual Goddesses' Day party. We were pretty good friends, but, with her mother's death, I was uneasy how she would act while I came closer to them.

"Ah, Link!" Zelda's grandfather greeted me with his deep voice and a grin. The wrinkles in his tanned face moved with the motions of his mouth and his gray eyes seemed to have trouble focusing on me. "Did your grandmother Mary bake those delicious cookies again? Splendid!"

I smiled politely at them, struggling not to stare at Zelda, and held the plate in front of me.

"They're all yours," I said and he took them with an appreciative nod.

"You wouldn't mind helping Zelda with her bags, would you dear?" Zelda's grandmother asked hopefully from behind her husband. The sunlight shining in her curly silver hair, she added with a sheepish grin, "We are a bit too old for such work."

"Of course," I accepted the offer instantly and turned to face Zelda, finally getting a chance to look at her.

My grandmother was right, she was skinnier than normal. Her cheeks were hollow and I could see her collarbone so easily that it was unsettling. There was always this light in her stunning, beautiful blue eyes, but, staring at her then, I could see that something was terribly wrong.

There was no light. Just a dull, soft blue. She wouldn't even look at me, as if she was ashamed to show me her sorrow.

Although she wasn't her normal self, I still thought she was gorgeous. Her long blonde hair flowed down her back and her flawless face was the perfect heart shape. Her skin was pale and the white mini skirt showed off her legs, an almost criminal gesture to male teenagers everywhere.

She was beautiful, yes, but she wasn't the Zelda I knew.

"So how has it been?" I asked casually while heading to the back of the truck and hoisting a black duffle bag over my shoulder.

She shrugged her shoulders and stared emptily at her flip-flops. "Fine, I guess…" she mumbled and I instantly wanted to slap myself. Her mother just died, of course she isn't _fine_!

I began walking towards her front door, the pavement burning against my feet, and questioned in my friendly tone, "So where are you going to college?"

"Hale," is all she said while we stepped onto the porch. She held the door open for me and I squeezed past her. I released a small sigh of relief once I entered the air-conditioned building, grateful to be out of the unbearable heat.

"Wow, that's a really tough school to get in to. Very impressive," I grinned and started following her up the stairs. I noticed that she moved with less liveliness than before, each step seeming to use up all of her energy.

"Yeah," she whispered distractedly and my smile fell into a frown.

We ambled down the hallway and to the door at the end of the corridor. She opened it wide for me again and I gracefully slipped in with the pack still slung over my shoulder.

I had only been in her room a few times but it was still like I remembered: white carpet, soft blue bed, sky blue painted walls, and matching white curtains. It felt like the entire room was sighing in relaxation, not a care in the world. The furniture was either white or blue, making me feel like I was floating in the sky.

I plopped the duffle bag on the bed and turned back around to face Zelda. She was looking at me but not really _looking _at me. Her gaze was distant like she was in very deep thought.

"Listen…Zelda," I began to say sympathetically. Taking a step forward, I gently placed my hand on her arm and rubbed it soothingly. "I'm really sorry about your mother."

She nodded, probably hearing that a thousand times before, and whispered back sadly. "I'm sorry that I am not myself, I realize that I've changed. My therapist said so and she thinks that a change of scenery can really help me but…I'm not sure."

"I know you just got here, but do you feel any better yet?" I questioned hopefully and, for the first time, she finally looked into my eyes.

With a broken smile, she replied, "I'm glad to see you again at least."

When she hugged me it was a little strange. I had always wanted to hold the wonderful Zelda in my arms, but not when she was so disconsolate.

It wasn't that I didn't want to be with her if she wasn't happy, I just felt terrible. I wanted to be the guy that she'd rush in to, clinging to him and letting her emotions out. This hug felt awkward and stiff, like she was doing it because she was supposed to.

I wasn't sure where to place my hands, so I just continued rubbing her arms and whispered "I'm sorry," again into her ear.

She pulled back away from me, snaking her arms carefully around mine, before giving me a sad smile. "It's fine," she breathed and walked past me to her duffle bag.

I watched helplessly as she unzipped it and began taking each piece of clothing out one by one. The entire time I felt pretty uneasy simply standing there. "Do you need any help unpacking?" I offered, a bit more anxious than intended.

If she heard me she showed no indication as she made a pile of shorts on her bed. I was going to say something about having to leave when she suddenly spun around. Tears were welling up in her beautiful blue eyes and she sat at the very edge of the bed. Gripping the blankets in tight fists, she gazed up at me and asked in a strangled voice, "How come the goddesses chose to take my mother?"

What would you say to that? Everybody has different views on religion, so how was I supposed to know what to say? I was taken aback already and it was hard enough to even speak, let alone _know_ what to say.

So, still a bit startled, I shrugged and responded gently, "I'm not sure, Zelda. Nobody is ever really sure, why did the goddesses decide to take my parents?"

She frowned even more and looked ashamed of herself, staring at a far corner of the room. "Right, I'm sorry. I had forgotten about your parents…"

"It's fine, I don't remember them anyways," I waved it off but she still looked troubled.

"Though do you ever blame the goddesses for taking them? I mean…do you even believe in them?"

She sounded like a little girl craving for answers. Her questions were a starving stomach and my replies would be the food to nourish her hunger, all I needed to do was respond correctly.

Define "correctly."

"Well, er…" I stammer, poking the ground with my foot and looking everywhere but at her. "I'm not sure. I don't pray to them everyday but it isn't like I don't believe in them at all, I guess I just never thought about it."

"But don't you wish to know that your parents are in someplace safe? Like up in heaven instead of just being dead?" She practically begged, looking up at me with wide eyes.

I walked over to the bed and sat down next to her, all the while pondering on what I should say to her. I wish I could have said something better than what I did, which was, "I don't know."

She sighed and stared at her entwined fingers that sat in her lap. "I never really believed in them either, I was kind of neutral," she admitted softly, "But, now that my mother is gone, I really want it all to be real: heaven, angels, goddesses…though I don't truly feel that way. I can't make myself feel something I don't."

"It sounds like you need to witness a miracle," I noted and she gave me a small smile.

"A miracle," she mused before chuckling a bit, "I would certainly like that."

I grinned at her. Hearing her laugh, even if it wasn't more than a sarcastic chuckle, still elated me.

"You know how some people go to those really beautiful places and they say, 'How can you not believe in a higher power when you see something as gorgeous as this?'" I explained casually while she gazed at me curiously. "Well, maybe that is what you need. You need to see some spectacular sight that will rekindle your faith in the goddesses."

She shook her head and, with another tiny smile, corrected me, "It isn't the faith in the goddesses, it's more the faith in the world. If you think about it, the world is a pretty cruel place-,"

"And it is also a spectacular place," I finished for her and she rose two eyebrows at me. "A lot of people reflect on all of the terrible things that happen to them, but not all the amazing things. Your mother was a wonderful woman, Zelda, and you need to remember the wonderful times you had with her."

She paused and bit her lip in deep thought. Eyes transfixed on the open door, she mumbled anxiously, "Like what?"

I shifted around on the bed and leaned back, my hands supporting me. I answered with the first thing that popped into my head. "You remember that time when we were, like, five or something and we pulled that prank on all of the adults at your Goddesses' Day party? We released the two doves into the fancy dinning room and they pooped on your mom's head, and then she just laughed it off and told us it meant good luck."

Despite herself, a genuine smile spread across her face. Still looking away from me, she finished the story in a quiet tone, "And then she gave us the biggest ice cream and helped us put the birds away."

"Yeah!" I beamed, recalling the memory and laughing to myself. "You know that time when Old Man Kapero was going on and on and on about this chopstick he found in his house? She then sneaked us outside and joined us in that snowball fight."

"And that time when she convinced Mido that T.G.I.F. meant 'Tell Gloria it's Friday' instead of 'Thank Goddesses it's Friday'," she joined a bit more enthusiastically and looked at me with sparkling eyes. "And we were so happy that he fell for it because he was making fun of you."

"And a few hours later she told him that the thermometer outside was actually a _fern_-mometer. It locates the number of ferns in the area," I laughed harder at the memory and I heard her giggle with me as I tried to finish retelling the story, "Then he asked why you would ever want a fern-mometer and we told him that doctors use them to make medicine and they are very useful in the field of medicine-,"

"And then he went outside in the middle of the blizzard searching for ferns," she laughed, falling back on the bed and clutching her stomach in pain of giggling. It was great to see her smile again and I was truly proud of myself for making her so happy.

We went on like that for a while, exchanging stories about her passed on mother. We reminisce about all of her pranks and how she took us to the movies and skiing. I remember the time when I hadn't read this book for my English class and she told me the ending and I got an _A_ in the class later.

When Zelda's grandpa called for lunch downstairs I didn't want to go. I finally had Zelda next to me, smiling and giggling at practically everything I said, it was a fantastic feeling.

And as soon as Zelda heard it was time to go, her smile faded into a frown and she sighed in defeat.

"What is it?" I questioned with concern as she stood from the bed.

She turned around to face me and confessed after a moment's hesitation, "They treat me like some delicate flower. I know I haven't really been myself lately, but I wish they could move on from it. None of them can make me laugh like you do…"

I stood up next to her and carefully took her hand in mine. She gazed up at me in slight surprise and I smiled back down at her warmly. "They love you, you know that. I'm happy that I could help make you feel a bit better."

She nodded and managed to crack a smile in return. "I've been avoiding the topic of my mother for a long time, it was nice to finally get to talk about her."

"I'm glad I could help."

"Do you want to stay for lunch?" She suddenly asked me, staring up at me nervously. I was a little surprised at it first but I agreed to it. You might be thinking it was just that I felt bad for her, but that was only a tiny bit of the reason why I agreed. Incase you don't remember, I couldn't stop thinking about this girl and I would take any chance I got to be around with her more.

So I spent lunchtime with Zelda and her grandparents. For most of the time Zelda remained silent as I conversed with them, answering every question politely. I could then understand what troubled Zelda so much. There was this air to the room, something I can't really explain. It wasn't tense but it wasn't relaxed either. You could tell that everybody was thinking about Zelda or her passed away mother though nobody spoke their thoughts. However, I believe that she was pleased to have me with her. Her grandparents were nice people, but I think I helped make things less awkward so they could discuss me instead of Zelda's fragile state.

Once lunch was over, I helped wash the dishes and Zelda wanted to come over to my place, and I was happy to let her. When my grandmother saw her she was practically bawling. Thankfully, she was so fervent because of how much Zelda had grown and how pretty she was, not her mother's death.

We spent the afternoon watching Disney's "Mulan" with my little sister Aryll. We all sang along with the songs, even though I was terribly off pitch, but it made Zelda smile so I was content doing it.

Once the movie was over, she had to go unpack and I offered to help but she declined. I could tell she wanted my company, and don't think of me as vain, but I guess it would be a little weird. I mean, having to touch her underwear would make a guy either really red faced or something else I'd rather not mention.

So, with a sad yet thankful smile and a small squeeze of my hand, she departed my house and entered her own.

* * *

It was late at night and - waking up _so _early today - I was about ready for bed. My sheets stuck to my legs and I was sweating while I stared up at the ceiling, begging for sleep.

So many thoughts were swimming through my head but all of them were about Zelda. She was desperate for some comfort, and not the usual "things-will-get-better" talk but the "remember-when?" talk. I was pretty proud of myself for making her smile the way she did and it was great to finally see her again. I have to say, once a year isn't good enough for me.

The night was still and I could barely move. I knew sleep wouldn't come for a long time but, for some reason, I just couldn't get up. But I managed to jump a mile high when I heard a knock on my window.

Bolting up in my bed, I brought my gaze to the window and saw a petite figure standing there. Her fist was resting on the pane, ready to knock again, and her face was pressed against the glass. It was a good thing I was on the first floor, it would've been a lot harder if I was up higher.

Forcing my stiff limbs to function, I got out of bed and made my way to the window. "Zelda?" I grunted while lifting the window open. "What are you doing here?"

She didn't wait for an answer but gracefully slipped into my room. My eyes adjusted to the darkness, I looked at her form closely. She was wearing a baggy cream shirt and short dark green shorts. My attire, on the other hand, consisted of nothing but checked blue boxers. Blushing, I rushed to the corner of the room and grabbed the first pair of sweatpants I saw and an orange T-shirt. Once donning my clothing, I soon realized that I should deserve world's fastest dresser award.

"Sorry that I came so late," Zelda apologized from across the room again, her voice soft like before. "I was just…you know…"

In all honesty, I didn't know, though I could presume it was something about her mother and I was touched that she would seek help from me.

I switched on my desk lamp and blinked a few times at the sudden brightness. It was much easier to see her then as she stood uneasily by my bedpost, her delicate hand gently grazing the sheets.

"What's wrong, Zelda?" I questioned, my voice filled with both worry and curiosity. Taking a few steps forward, I stood in front of her and, like before, carefully took her hand in mine.

"I was thinking about what you said before, about needing to see something beautiful," she admitted while staring at our entwined hands. "And maybe you're right but…I'm not sure what I would have to see. I can't simply go to Egypt to see the pyramids or to Peru and view Mach Picchu so-,"

"You don't have to go to a historic landmark to see something breath taking," I interrupted her with a kind smile. "Some beautiful and amazing things are right outside."

She looked up at me, the light shining in her blue eyes, and asked, "Like what?"

I glanced to my right at the open window and, sure enough, there they were. I could already see more than a dozen tiny yellow lights flashing on and off outside.

They couldn't have picked a better night.

"Come and look," I whispered to her. I led her towards the window, her puzzled gaze glued to me, before stopping right in front of it.

It took her a few moments to finally realize what I had been talking about, but when she did, her mouth fell open and her eyes grew wide.

"You only come during the winter," I told her with a wide grin, "so you have never seen this place on certain summer nights."

And, even though I've seen such a sight a thousand times before, it still amazed me just as much as it amazed her.

Because outside ten million fireflies were lighting up the black sky. Little golden lights were buzzing around, flashing and illuminating the night. They twirled together and glowed along the houses, the lush green grass, and around us.

Without another word, I jumped through my window and landed softly outside. I was instantly overcome with the lightning bugs dancing around me with their glowing butts. Everywhere I looked they were there, spinning in fantastic circles. I wanted to dance like them; I wanted them to take me away from here and high into the sky. Grinning, I spread out my arms and stayed as still as possible as they descended onto me.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw Zelda doing the same thing. The glowing bugs skimmed her arms and fluttered around her head. The light they radiated lit up Zelda, her hair shining and her flawless face illuminated by the tiny golden lights. Her eyes gleamed with wonder and tried to follow each and every firefly. She then tilted her head back and stared up at the sky. I mimicked her actions and my eyes were instantly glued to the scene above me.

Thousands and thousands of fireflies were soaring through the warm night air. They lit up the sky and everything just seemed brighter, livelier, and happier. It was beautiful and only happened in this little dinky town. I was sure that there were other places in the world where the fireflies danced like this, but I didn't want to know. It was best to imagine that this was the only place where I could watch the fireflies dance. It made it even more spectacular.

Every summer the fireflies came out to play, but they only showed themselves in so many numbers every once in a while. That was why I thanked the goddesses a thousand times for sending them at the moment when they were needed most.

Bringing my head back down, I turned and gazed at Zelda. Her mouth was spread in a wide smile and her arms were still held up, lightning bugs swimming around them.

"Now tell me, Zelda," I grinned mischievously at her while she also brought her head down. "How can you not believe in a higher power when you see something as gorgeous as this?"

At first she smiled, and then she grinned, and then she full out smirked and replied very casually, "I never said that I didn't."

I know she was joking, and I know you know that too. And I'm sure you would guess that I would respond to that with something witty, which, knowing me, would not be witty at all.

But the first time I had thought of a clever response in less than a second it was wasted. Before I could utter a word she had closed the distance between us, grabbed my face in her hands, and kissed me.

Right on the lips.

Bet you didn't see that coming. I sure didn't.

Though that doesn't mean I wasn't going to stand there dumbfounded. Smiling as I returned her kiss, I snaked my arms around her and pulled her closer to me. Her thumb rubbed my cheek in a circle while her other hand trailed down my neck and fiddled with a fold of clothing on my shoulder.

I was so caught up in the kiss that I forgot all about the lightning bugs as they spun around us with their flashing yellow lights, bathing everything in their special little glow.

Have you ever known somebody where you always think about them, even though you rarely see them? Or no other girl catches your eye but her? And you tell yourself that she's untouchable because her mother just died and she's been going to therapy and won't even look at you. And then, when you start to think that she's helpless, you manage to make her smile and laugh and she comes to your window late at night and, before you know it, you're kissing under a bright golden sky with tiny dancers twirling around you, as if they are celebrating your success.

That's how I am with Zelda.


End file.
